Comment: Big changes in this year's Power 50

Reflecting the rapid development of the Middle East hospitality sector, there are a total of 21 new entrants on this year’s Power 50 list, compared to just eight last year.

Seeing almost half of the Hotelier Middle East Power 50 replaced is in a large part due to the introduction of several new companies to the region, such as Warwick International, Steigenberger Hotel Group and Hues Hotels & Resorts, who are beginning to make their marks on the region’s industry.

Additionally, with the economy recovering and movement being seen in the job market, a number of new appointments have been made over the past 12 months. For example, Wael Soueid took over from Moritz Klein as area general manager, Abu Dhabi for Anantara, while Shaun Langdon was appointed just last year, to oversee the operations and development of Damac’s hospitality arm as senior vice president.

There have been some notable replacements at UAE-based companies as well, with Philippe Zuber having taken over from Josef Kufer as chief operating officer at Emaar and Laurent Voivenel filling the shoes of Michel Noblet at the end of last year and to head up Hospitality Management Holdings.

The highest new entry to the list is an individual from another UAE-based company, which has made remarkable progress in terms of signings over the past year. Rotana CEO Omer Kaddouri went straight in at number five on the list, having been in office for just nine months. However, his years of experience working alongside his predecessor Selim El Zyr as chief operating officer for four years prior to this appointment, gave Kaddouri the springboard he needed to jump through the rankings to a top 10 place in his first year on the Power 50 list.

Additionally, many hoteliers from last year’s list have moved up by one place or more, for example, Hussein Ali Hatata, who has moved from 37th place in last year’s list to number 29 this year as a result of the company’s shift in focus from hotel ownership to operations.

Indeed, having 29 individuals who have maintained a position on the list reflects the commitment of these hoteliers to the continued development and success of the Middle East hospitality industry.

If you have recommendations for new entries for 2015’s Power 50, email Crystal.Chesters@itp.com.